"The Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People (CAHJP) were established in 1939. They hold the archives of hundreds of Jewish communities, as well as of local, national and international Jewish organizations and the private collections of many outstanding Jewish personalities. The Archives now hold the most extensive collection of documents, pinkassim (registers) and other records of Jewish history from the Middle Ages to the present day."
The Central Archives, located in Jerusalem, is a tremendous resource for the history of the Jews all over the world. In the past, however, it was sometimes hard to find what the collection held, as the collections are so vast and deep. Recently, the Central Archives has put together some wonderful new finding aids (by creator organization, by Jewish community location, and by donor) which should make the search for Jewish community records much easier. See below for an important list of recently processed (and soon-to-be processed) collections.
A SELECTION OF NEW FINDING AIDS ON THE CAHJP WEBSITE GUIDES - Polish Sources at the Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People – a digital updated version of the 2004 printed guide (16th - 20th Century) A-L: http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/1005 M-Z: http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/1006 - Guía de documentos de Comunidades e instituciones en el Archivo Central de la Historia del Pueblo Judío, Jerusalén http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/sites/default/files/Judaismo%20Latinoamericano.pdf COUNTRIES Algeria – Jewish Communities, 1795 - 1962 (244 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/1007 Argentina – Jewish Communities and Organizations, 1894 - 2008 (380 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/586 Brazil – Jewish Communities, Organizations and Schools, 1886 - 1979 (260 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/798 Ecuador – Jewish Communities and Organizations, 1915 - 1972 (200 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/813 El Salvador – Communities and Zionist Organizations, 1935 - 1975 (39 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/592 COMMUNITIES Floss Israelitische Kultusgemeinde (Germany), 1687 - 1938 (147 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/810 Izmir (Smyrna) Jewish Community (Turkey), 1760 - 1970 (ca. 1000 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/808 Le Tribunal Rabbinique de Mogador et sa Region (Morocco), 1919 - 1966 (26 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/807 ORGANIZATIONS American Jewish Organizations, 1866 - 1972 (300 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/793 Gesamtdeutsche Organisationen, Verbände und Vereine, 1844 - 1970 (272 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/786 Deutsch-Israelitischer Gemeindebund (D.I.G.B.), 1868 - 1930 (47 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/789 JRSO (Jewish Restitution Successor Organization), Bavaria – Community Property (221 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/782 JRSO Berlin – Administration, 1947-1974 (579 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/1000 JRSO Hessen – Community Property (426 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/783 PRIVATE COLLECTIONS Elias Tcherikower, 1917 - 1928 (575 files) http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/809 Ismar Freund Library http://cahjp.huji.ac.il/webfm_send/996 COMING SOON - Colombia – Jewish Communities and Organizations - Venezuela – Jewish Communities and Organizations - Worms Jewish Community (Germany) - Thessaloniki Jewish Community (Greece) - Judah Leib Magnes Private Collection - Ismar Freund Private Collection - Yitzhak F. Baer Private Collection